Electrical connectors which transmit electric currents and voltages in the medium-current or high-current and/or medium-voltage or high-voltage range are known. In certain applications, such connectors must ensure, permanently or temporarily, problem-free transmission of electric power for example in warm, possibly hot, uncontaminated, humid and/or chemically aggressive environments. Electrical connectors or the electrical contacts thereof can be installed on an electrical device, for example, on a busbar, in a battery or a rechargeable battery, in an inverter, or in a switchgear assembly in automotive applications. Electric or hybrid vehicles handle high electric operating currents and/or voltages, wherein the relevant components of the vehicles need to be designed accordingly, requiring high-current/high-voltage connectors.
Laser welding of a contact of an electrical connector to a mating contact has certain limitations in the prior art related to the welded cross-sections of each contact. For example, in laser welding of a compacted section of a copper braided wire of the electrical connector to the mating contact, the mating contact should be approximately 50% thicker than the compacted section of the electrical connector in order to effectively exclude the possibility of welding through the mating contact. That is, a thickness ratio of 1:1.5 is used for laser welding the compacted section of the electrical connector to the mating contact. It is thus not possible in the prior art to weld a contact of an electrical connector to an already fitted mating contact which is slightly thinner, the same thickness or even slightly thicker than the contact.